COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CAPSTONE DELEGATION

UNCLAS TOKYO 005036 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y -- ADDED CORRECT SIGNATURE SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR VCI - HEINTZELMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA POL JA SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CAPSTONE DELEGATION REF: SECSTATE 145117 Sensitive but Unclassified - Please protect accordingly ¶1. (U) Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance for the September 6-9, 2006 visit to Japan by Capstone Delegation members. ¶2. (U) Control Officer for the visit will be Political Officer Geneve Menscher. She can be reached at: Office phone: (81-3)3224-5344 Home phone: (81-3)3224-6423 Mobile phone: (81-90)7907-9591 Unclass Fax: (81-3)3224-5322 SIPDIS Unclass E-mail: MenscherGE@state.gov SIPDIS -------------- Hotel Reservations -------------- ¶3. (U) Hotel reservations have been made at Hotel Okura for delegation members listed below. Lodging is 19,500 JPN Yen per night and includes service charge and tax. Delegation Members: Suzanne Basalla Confirmation No. 620459 Reservation for: 9/5-9/10 Tom Clemons Confirmation No. 613613 Reservation for: 9/5-9/8 COL Ken Cox Confirmation No. 779758 Reservation for: 9/5-9/8 CAPT Davis Confirmation No. 613605 (arranged through MDAO) Reservation for: 9/6-9/8 John Doucette Confirmation No. 620457 Reservation for: 9/6-9/8 Todd Gossett Confirmation No. 613614 Reservation for: 9/5-9/10 Harry Heintzelman Confirmation No. 780243 Reservation for: 9/6-9/9 John Hill Confirmation No. 620460 Reservation for: 9/5-9/9 CDR Patrick Hollen Confirmation No. 613615 Reservation for: 9/6-9/8 BRIG GEN Frank Kisner Confirmation No. 779810 Reservation for: 9/5-9/9 CAPT John Lauer Confirmation No. 613609 Reservation for: 9/5-9/8 CAPT David Lausman Confirmation No. 613616 Reservation for: 9/6-9/8 Andrew Mueller Confirmation No. 613611 Reservation for: 9/5-9/9 Tom "Chip" Roth Confirmation No. 779759 Reservation for: 9/5-9/8 COL Scott Shepherd (traveler has made own hotel arrangements) Dean Vaughn Confirmation No. 613608 Reservation for: 9/5-9/8 Rick Weir Confirmation No. 620458 Reservation for: 9/6-9/8 The Government of Japan now requires hotel guests to present their passports upon registration, so visitors are advised to have their passports in hand at check-in. Hotel Okura 2-10-4 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8416 Tel: (81-3) 3582-0111 Fax: (81-3) 3582-3707 Email: www.okura.com -------------- Airport to Hotel Transportation -------------- ¶4. (U) Visitors should take the airport "limousine" bus directly to the hotel or the Narita Express (NEX) train to Tokyo Station and then a taxi to the hotel. The limousine bus counter is located in the Tokyo Narita Airport Arrival lobby. Look for the orange signs as you walk through the doors from the customs area to the main lobby. The bus fare is 3,000 Yen. The NEX train is located in the basement of the airport terminal. The train fare is 2,900 Yen. Twenty-four hour currency exchange facilities are available in the customs area and the arrival lobby of the airport. Travel time from Tokyo Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo is 90-120 minutes, depending on traffic. -------------- Visa -------------- ¶5. (U) Holders of U.S. diplomatic or official passports must have a Japanese visa to enter Japan. Travelers on a U.S. tourist (blue cover) passport may enter Japan as a tourist without a Japanese visa for up to 90 days. -------------- Embassy Laptop Policy -------------- ¶6. (U) The Embassy's laptop policy is as follows: Absolutely no personal, non-government owned laptop computers may enter the Embassy. Absolutely no laptop, even government owned, may be connected to the Embassy network in any way. TDY employees are reminded that no government owned laptops may enter the Embassy without prior RSO approval. Absolutely no laptop, even government owned, inside CAA areas unless special pre-approval, based on business need, has been given. If you would like to bring a US government owned and provided laptop computer into the Embassy, please contact the RSO's office prior to your visit for the briefing and approval. -------------- Threat Assessment -------------- ¶7. (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. The events of September 11 at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Somerset, Pennsylvania, serve as a cruel reminder of the continuing threat from terrorists and extremist groups to Americans and American interests worldwide. This situation remains fluid and American citizens should be aware of the potential risks and take these into consideration when making travel plans. The Department will continue to develop information about potential threats to Americans overseas and to share credible threat information through its consular information program documents available on the internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page: http://www.travel.state.gov. ¶8. (SBU) The general threat from crime in Tokyo and throughout Japan is low. Crime is at levels well below the U.S. national average. Violent crime is rare, but does exist. The Japanese National Police report continued problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded shopping areas of Tokyo. Although street crime is low, common sense security measures are advised for all American citizens traveling in Japan. ¶9. (U) As the U.S. Government has reported in public announcements over the last several months, U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at increased risk of terrorist actions from extremist groups, which may target civilians and include suicide operations. Most recently, we advised that we had unconfirmed information that terrorist actions may be taken against U.S. Military facilities and/or establishments frequented by U.S. military personnel in Korea and Japan. Americans should increase their security awareness and avoid locations where Americans are generally known to congregate. ¶10. (U) In addition, we continue to be concerned about information we received in May 2001 that American citizens may be the target of a terrorist threat from extremist groups with links to Usama Bin Laden's Al-Qaida organization. In the past, such individuals have not distinguished between official and civilian targets. The Embassy takes all threats seriously. The U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000 (internationally). ¶11. (SBU) Visitors are urged to maintain a high level of vigilance and to increase their security awareness. Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes and times for all required travel, and treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources with suspicion. Visitors are also urged to avoid contact with any suspicious, unfamiliar objects, and to report the presence of such objects to local authorities. Vehicles should not be left unattended and should be kept locked at all times. DONOVAN